What About Us?
by Pattiie
Summary: Five years have passed by in Nerima and many things have changed. However, once a certain blue-haired tomboy returns to the picture, things may change again... and not neccicarily for the better. RanmaXAkane
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

_Hi, guys! The story I am currently writing is "What About Us?" It's my take on a "what-if" fanfic. It will consist of many pairings, but my main one will certainly be RanmaXAkane, though it may not seem like that in the beginning._

_Anyway, although I am new to this, please feel free to leave comments and constructive criticism. Both are always helpful, though do not be mean or harsh. That type of criticism is not called for._

_Disclaimer: I do NOT own Ranma ½ or any of its characters/content. The series entirely belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and I am simply a fan who enjoys writing about her fantastic manga._

**Fanfiction by: Pattiie**

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Ranma Saotome quietly boarded the crowded bus, taking the route from southern Nerima over to the north, where his small, three-roomed house was. It had been a long day, attending his final year of college.

_Shampoo's gonna be mad…_ he thought, quietly. He was hours late. Shampoo was his wife, the flawless, headstrong, purple-haired Amazon. A few years ago, Ranma would have never guessed he'd end up with her, of all people. But, things had changed and now he was a fully grown 23 year old. Much older than the dinky 18 year old Ranma he used to be.

Ranma now was a shocking 6'3 inches tall and, of course, still continued his martial arts training. He'd gotten over most of his shyness towards girls… much thanks to Shampoo, and he was studying for a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering.

The pigtailed boy sat down on the nearest seat he could find. He ended up sitting next to a fairly large, sweaty old man… but his thoughts consumed him, not minding.

"Akane, honey…" a mother called out to her blonde-haired child. "Please don't jump around on the bus."

_Akane_… Ranma's heart thumped at the name.

As hard as he tried, however, there was one girl whom continued coming back into his thoughts. Over and over again, her face appeared… even though he was married. Akane Tendo was her name, and she was his former fiancée.

Ranma quickly shook his head, trying to erase her from his mind. All it did was bring back pain.

_No girl… no girl upsets Ranma Saotome_! His mind said, however, his heart had yet to agree…

After ten minutes, the bus came to a stop and Ranma got off quickly, hoping his wife wasn't angry. The last thing he needed was another fight with her. They'd been having quite a few of those lately.

Now, Shampoo was another one of his former fiancées. Actually… he'd had three. Three and two crazy suitors for both of his forms. And, what was even crazier was **how** he'd ended up engaged with all of them.

The way he'd ended up with Shampoo was through an Amazon Law. The law was she had to marry whoever bested her and battle, and that ended up being Ranma. However, in the beginning, Ranma had no intention in marrying the Amazon. He'd always thought he'd marry Akane, no matter what. But, things changed and here he was… married to Shampoo.

What happened was two years after Akane left him, the Amazons had tracked Shampoo down and told her that they would kill her if she didn't marry the man whom she was supposed to marry. When Shampoo had come to Ranma, crying, the boy didn't know what to do and decided to take responsibility and marry her. Though, now he'd grown to love her… at least he thought he did…

The door swung open to their small house. Ranma glanced at the purple-haired woman clad in a short night gown, her hands on her hips. Shampoo's eyes were narrowed at the boy, and she pursed her lips angrily.

"Where have you been, Ranma?" she asked. Her speech had improved greatly since their younger years.

"School," he said, and pushed past her, into the house.

"But I know that you're class ends at 8:00 and right now it is 11:00!"

"Shampoo, you're overreacting… I just had a late test to write, that's all."

Her gaze softened as she glanced at her husband, collapsed on their leather sofa. "Okay, fine. But don't be late again." She replied, softly and walked over, sitting next to him, her long legs slightly brushing his.

"I was waiting for you, that's all." She smiled, grabbing a wine bottle off the table. "I was hoping we could have a nice dinner together. You know, it's been so long since we've had some alone time."

He smiled and put his hand on hers. "Yeah, I know, it has." He was glad he was off the hook. His wife was usually known to hold grudges.

Shampoo squeaked, giggling. She poured two wine glasses and looked at him with passion-filled eyes.

Ranma sipped his red wine, staining his lips. He watched as Shampoo wrapped her arms around him, offering an embrace. He hugged her back, firmly, feeling her smile against his chest.

"Ranma…" she said, happily, wrapping her legs around his hips, hoisting herself onto his lap.

"Mmmm?" he said, his eyes closed, hands on her waist.

"I was thinking…"

"Yes?"

"We should have a baby."

Ranma's eyes shot open. "What?" he asked, shocked.

Shampoo kissed his neck, opening the first button on the collar of his Chinese shirt. "Yes, we should have a child. It's been a few years since our marriage, why not?"

Ranma blinked, unable to reply.

"So," she said, seductively. "What do you think?"

"I… I don't know. I guess that's a good idea." He replied.

Shampoo grinned widely, kissing him fully on the lips. "I'm so glad! I can't wait to tell the Amazon tribe that there will be an heir soon!"

Ranma forced a smile, completely confused on why Akane's face had popped into his mind just then.

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Ranma awoke to the sound of the birds chirping outside. It was May 3rd. The day he would see his former fiancée Akane after all this time. It was all because of the dojo.

You see, the Anything Goes Martial Arts School was to be inherited to both Ranma and Akane after they were supposed to get married. However, they hadn't gotten married and now it had to be split somehow or shared.

A few days earlier, he'd received a phone call from Soun Tendo, telling him to meet him and Akane at the dojo on Thursday, 6:00 PM sharp. Today was the day, the day he'd finally clear everything up and… see Akane after about five years.

Shampoo wasn't too happy with the idea. "Akane? Akane Tendo?" she said. "You're going to see her?" he saw the possessive gleam in her eye.

"It's just a business matter, Shampoo…" he said, firmly. "I swear."

"Whatever," she said, and walked away, returning to her soap opera.

It didn't go too well, but he knew it wasn't that big of a deal. He had moved on, and Akane probably had, too.

Ranma dressed in a black Chinese shirt, similar to the ones he'd always use to wear. He washed his face and brushed his teeth, getting ready to leave.

He slipped on his shoes and gave his wife a final kiss on the cheek, her sourness sweetened and she moved her face, kissing him softly.

Ranma's new house was quite close to the house he used to live at. However, he'd never stepped foot into the Tendo house or returned to that area in years. He wasn't welcome.

He winced as he remembered the whole story, what had caused all the pain… all the trouble…

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_It was raining heavily outside, one day at the Tendo household. Everyone remained inside for shelter and Soun and Genma were playing their usual game of shogi._

_Suddenly, a black blur darted through the backyard. It caught Akane's attention quickly. _

_"Ranma?" she said, turning to face her fiancé. "Is that P-chan I just saw?"_

_Ranma was lying down, trying to drift to sleep. He opened one eye. "Ah, 'Kane… who cares, just leav'm." The pigtailed boy knew the pig's real secret and for that, he could care less about what happened to "P-Chan"._

_Akane jumped up from her seat, running to the door. "But it's raining outside! The poor baby!" she shouted, slipping on her shoes and running out the door, umbrella in hand._

_"Oh, 'Kane!" Ranma shouted, running after her._

_"P-Chan!" Akane called outdoors. "P-Chan!"_

_The black pig stopped in his trail, turning to see the girl who had called out his name. Before he could run once again, Akane caught him in her arms._

_"Oh, my poor baby! You're all wet!" she cooed. The girl cradled the pig in her arms, not noticing Ranma's glare from behind her._

_Stupid Ryoga… his mind hissed._

_"How about you and I take a nice, warm bath?" she giggled to the pig._

_P-Chan's eyes widened, looking over to Ranma, his eyes pleading. He needed help, or she would find out his true form!_

_Akane walked past Ranma, heading to the bathroom. The boy ran after her._

_"Akane, wait!" he called, though she kept walking._

_"What, Ranma? Don't tell me you're planning to peep on me!"_

_"No, dummy! J-Just… don't take P-Chan with you!"_

_She rolled her eyes, stopping in the middle of the hallway. "Why not?" her eyes narrowed into slits._

_"B-Be… because…"_

_Akane sighed, turned, and continued walking. "I don't have time for this, Ranma." She said, in an annoyed tone._

_Ryoga squealed in Akane's arms._

_Ranma ran forward, grabbing Akane's shoulder. "Akane, stop!" he called._

_She turned to face him, now both of them were standing in the bathroom. "WHAT, Ranma? Why are you following me?"_

_Ranma bit his lip. "Akane, you can't take P-Chan in there with you."_

_"And why can't I?" she said, raising an eyebrow. Her smile widened. "Are you jealous?"_

_"No!" he said, quickly. "Uh…no," he repeated. "Akane… I can't explain it… I mean…"_

_Akane sighed and turned away from him, turning on the water. "Just leave, Ranma. It's none of your business what I want to do with my pet!"_

_And, before Ranma could stop her, she doused P-Chan in hot water._

_Jaws dropped as a naked Ryoga remained where Akane thought P-Chan was supposed to be._

_"Ryoga," Ranma whispered, dropping his hands._

_"A-Akane…" Ryoga said, softly, lowering his body into the bathtub, in shame._

_Akane remained speechless, a blank stare in her eyes._

_Ranma rushed toward the girl, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Akane… this… this is what I was trying to tell you. Ryoga… he's… he's P-Chan._

_"Wh… what?" Akane whispered, her eyes fixed on the tile floor._

_"Akane, look, I'm sor-!" Ryoga said, loudly._

_Heat burned in Akane's veins. She pushed Ranma's hand away from her shoulder, tears flooding her eyes._

_"You're sorry?" she said, shakily to Ryoga. "You're sorry that you LIED to me? That you pretended to be my pet? Looked at my body… listened to my secrets… oh… oh GOD!" she cried, the tears she tried to suppress spilling down her cheeks._

_"Akane…" Ranma said, quietly, walking over to her. She pushed him away._

_"You," she hissed. "You knew, didn't you?!"_

_Ranma winced, looking down. _

_"YOU KNEW AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME!" she cried, in disbelief._

_"Akane, look… my honor-" he began._

_"This has always been about your honor!" she screamed. "I HATE you! And to think that I actually… that I actually…"_

_"Akane," Ryoga tried, his own tears welling up._

_"Don't you dare speak!" she shouted. "I can't believe this! I… I thought you were my friend, Ryoga?"_

_"Akane… but… I was your friend… I had strong feelings for you and-"_

_"Feelings? Friends? You know nothing about these things!" she pointed a shaky finger at the bandana boy and, after staring at him for a few seconds, she tore her gaze away and ran down the hall, heartbroken._

_"Akane!" Ranma called after her, dashing down the hall. "Wait a second!"_

_"NO!" she screamed, grabbing a suitcase. "I… I can't take this anymore." _

_"W-what are you saying, Akane…?" he asked, in disbelief._

_"Get out!" she screamed, tears streaming down her face. "Get out of my room!" the girl, her rage blinding, threw a picture frame at the boy, shattering it instantly._

_Akane, after throwing random clothing articles into the brown bag, rushed past him, slamming the door to her room. However, Ranma still heard the few words she mumbled darkly as she walked past him._

_"The engagement is over."_

_And, before he could chase after her, he heard the door slam and a weeping Soun in the background._

_It… it was over._

_Ranma, blankly, stared at the broken frame at his feet. The picture was him and Akane, the day of the failed wedding._

_Although there was the noise of chaos, all he could really hear were those piercing words, over and over again._

_"The engagement is over…"_

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Of course, he searched for her for days. Even though Soun had kicked him and Genma out, he still did. He continued, looking all over Nerima, wanting to explain what had happened. However, he never found her. Two years then went by, and he continued waiting for her. Then the Shampoo situation happened, and he'd realized that it was too late. She was gone.

Ranma shook his head, angry that he'd allowed his emotions to consume him. He continued walking down the street, slowly.

After a few moments, in the distance, he saw the Tendo house. Pain stabbed into his chest, the memories of the past returning to him. To his right, was the path… the same path he and Akane would take every morning to school.

_I'm going ahead now, Ranma, I'll wait for you… _

The pigtailed boy continued walking, when he finally approached the house. He knocked softly twice before he heard footsteps approaching from inside.

Then, a fully grown Kasumi answered the door.

"Ranma?" she said, shocked. "Is that really you?"

"Hey, Kasumi." He replied, hesitantly. "It's good to see ya."

Kasumi smiled softly. "You too, Ranma. Come in, come in. Father's been waiting for you."

Ranma walked in, noticing how much the house still looked the same. They still had the same table, the one where the family ate dinner all together. The same television set, the same area where the teens would relax, on the floor next to the large sliding screen door.

"Ranma Saotome." Mr. Tendo said, walking into the room. He had grown, his hair had begun to have a few grey strands and his face had many wrinkles. He looked old and tired. "Come in, boy."

The boy walked in, taking a seat on the ground, next to the table. Kasumi placed a cup of tea in front of him and he sipped, remembering how sweet and delicious she'd always made her tea. As good a cook as Shampoo was, she was no match for Kasumi.

"Akane hasn't arrived yet, but she should be coming soon." Soun mumbled, not quite looking at the boy. He was still angry, after all these years.

Suddenly, a little, light-brown haired girl ran up to Ranma, and tugged wildly at his pigtail. "Yook mummy, yook!" she called out. "He's got a piggy tail!"

Kasumi ran after the girl, picking her up in her arms. "Honey, that was very rude. Don't do that again." She turned to Ranma. "I apologize for my daughter's behavior, Ranma."

Ranma's jaw dropped. Kasumi had a child? He had no idea that any of this had happened!

"Ranma?" said a voice from the kitchen. The voice came closer and closer until Ranma saw whom it finally was. "Ranma Saotome?" said Tofu Ono.

"Yes, dear. He's come because of the business with the dojo."

"Oh, hello there." He smiled. "It's been a while, hasn't it?" he said, extending a hand to the boy.

"It has," Ranma replied, smiling. His heart swelled at the sight. He was glad that Tofu had gotten married to Kasumi. He was crazy about her in the past and, judging from the way he was looking at her, he still was. It was funny how things had changed so greatly.

Suddenly, a figure entered the room.

"Hello, dad?" she said, her chocolate eyes piercing Ranma's.

It was Akane.

Ranma stared at her. She was clad in a white skirt and a blue tank top. Her hair remained short, like it had always been. The only thing different about her was she'd grown a few inches taller.

"Akane!" Mr. Tendo called, rushing to hug his daughter. Akane laughed, wrapping her arms around her father.

Ranma silently smiled at the scene… until he noticed something.

Akane had a ring around her finger.

He became angry at himself. Why was he so upset? He had moved on, of course she had, too.

After her father was done embracing her, she caught Ranma's eye. He expected her to lash out at him, but instead she smiled softly.

"Hi, Ranma." She said. Still, he saw the sadness in her eyes.

"Akane," he said, clearing his throat.

Akane walked forward, sitting on the floor, next to the table. However, she sat as far away from Ranma as possible. Ranma felt the emptiness in the seat next to him. The one that _she_ usually occupied.

But that was all in the past now.

"Well," Mr. Tendo began. "About the dojo... It was supposed to go to the two of you, once you got married. Though, we know that is not going to happen now."

Soun turned to face Ranma. "Have you wed, boy?"

Ranma coughed. "Uh, yeah. I have."

"Alright. Well, we will have to divide the dojo into two. You see, I am becoming old and anytime I might-"

"Dad!" Akane shouted. "You're too young to even _think_ about death!"

"Yes, but it's a possibility, dear." He smiled at her. "Akane, have you considered teaching classes at the dojo?"

"Yes," she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her wedding band gleaming in the light. "I have been teaching lessons at another dojo, near where I live, but I'd rather teach at our dojo."

"And you, Ranma?" Soun said.

"Yeah, well I've been teaching, too."

"Okay," Soun replied. "Well, the dojo is fairly large so I've been thinking if we could divide it? Or, both of you could get certain days where the dojo belongs to you?"

"That's fine with me." Akane said. "We could divide it… like one side for each person?"

"Sure," Mr. Tendo said. "Is that all right with you, boy?"

"Anything's fine with me. That sounds great."

"Alright then. It's settled. I have a few students already lined up, so would the two of you like to start teaching Sunday?"

Akane thought for a moment. "Sunday… okay. That's fine."

Ranma nodded, standing up. "Me, too. Sunday's great."

Ranma turned to face Akane, wanting to say a few words, but she was already gone.

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A/N: Phew! Well, I'm in the mood for a little AU, though I hope it still was a little believable and not too too OOC. Hope you enjoyed it!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Well, the first chapter went fairly well. The words flowed out much smoother than I'd expected.

**What About Us?**

**Chapter Two**

Ranma woke up to the smell of his favorite butter cake. The aroma spread through the bedroom like a gentle breeze, but the smell started a war with his grumbling stomach.

Suddenly, he saw a figure enter his room. She was dressed in a very short pair of silk shorts and a deep red tank top that was edged with lace.

"Nihao, Ranma…" she said, still using her old greeting. "I brought you you're favorite breakfast!" she squeaked.

"Thank you," Ranma said, sitting up in bed. "That was really sweet of you to do,"

Shampoo honked like a goose. "Of course!" she giggled, plopping on the bed beside him.

Ranma grabbed the fork and began digging in when she took the utensil from his hand. "Na-ah…" she said, smiling. The Amazon scooped up a bite and fed it to him. "This is much better,"

"Mmhmm," He replied, his mouth filled with the fluffy cake.

"So," Shampoo said, letting down the fork once it was finished. "I'm so glad we get to spend the day together…" she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I've missed you, you know…"

Ranma hugged her back. "I know… you're going to hate me for this, but I've got some teaching to do today."

Shampoo looked up at him. "Teaching? What do you mean?"

"I'm teaching classes every Sunday now at the Tendo dojo."

Shampoo pouted. "But it's Sunday! Is there no other way… for me?" she whispered seductively.

"Sorry," he mumbled, apologetically. Shampoo stared up at him for a moment, her anger bubbling. The purple-haired girl then sulked, feeling rejected.

"Fine, suit yourself. I don't care!"

Ranma let out a sigh, jumping out of bed.

To be honest, lately he'd been fighting with Shampoo more than anything else. He was beginning to get a little sick of it.

Ranma walked over to the bathroom, washing his face and brushing his teeth. Silent thoughts began to fill his head, to his dismay.

_Was the dojo still the same?_

_What about Akane?_

_Was she… still mad? _

The boy shook his head. She was a married woman. It was… dirty to think thoughts like that! However, that sure as hell did not stop him.

Ranma emerged from the bathroom, slipping on a pair of clean pants and a white Chinese shirt. He still wore them, they were always his favorite.

The 23 year old slipped out the door silently, hoping his wife wouldn't see him and start some madness. That was the last thing he needed.

Ranma walked down the street, silently. Honestly, he was happy. He missed the dojo. The good old days. Maybe teaching there after all these years would bring back some old memories. Though, there were some memories he didn't want to return. He'd never gone a day in his life without thinking about what had happened so many years ago. He regretted it miserably and really wished it could've gone some other way. So many of his future plans had been reversed totally.

As he walked to the dojo, he passed Uuchan's Okonomiyaki, the place where his former fiancée worked. However, now she was married- and happily for that matter- to Konatsu, the kunoichi. He'd even heard that soon they were to have their first baby boy.

Ryoga, too, had moved on. He'd gone into a large stage of depression for about a year… trying to find Akane and apologize… never leaving his home… going on months long training trips… when Akari finally healed his wounds. They weren't married yet, but they were engaged. They'd also given Ranma a card a few weeks ago… an invitation to their wedding on the 29th of September.

With everyone in the old Nerima Wrecking Crew paired up… Ranma still wondered who Akane had married. He imagined it would be a martial artist, just like she was…

He quickly dropped the thoughts as he approached the door to the Tendo Dojo. He dug into his pocket and after a moment, realized he'd forgotten his key.

_Way to start you're first day, Ranma…_ he grumbled to himself, silently.

Ranma knocked on the door. He hoped Soun was there. He felt relieved when the door opened softly, until he peered back into chocolate eyes.

"Ranma," Akane said, softly. "Come in. You're early."

Without words, Ranma stepped into the dojo quietly. Wow, did it look different. It hadn't changed a bit, but being away from it for so long made him almost forget how it looked.

"They haven't installed a curtain to split it yet, but daddy promised it should be done soon." She said, not looking at him.

Ranma nodded, not able to take his eyes off her. She was clad in a gi, similar to her yellow one, though this one was a turquoise blue. He watched as she walked across the dojo, bare-footed, and began performing a kata. She was still the same tomboy she used to be. However, back then he never noticed the gracefulness in her steps.

Ranma began warming up, too, starting with a few stretches. He felt the awkwardness between them. The dojo was quiet. Too quiet.

He was about to start some small talk when a bunch of kids ran in.

"Are you our sensei?" a little boy asked.

"Yup, here I am." Ranma replied, with a grin.

"You're too young to be a sensei!" another boy asked.

"I want to be taught by the girl! She's really pretty…"

"Wow! She is hot, huh?"

"Yeah!"

The kids all talked at once, and they started to make Ranma quite annoyed.

"ALRIGHT, guys. If you want to learn some martial arts, come sit on the floor."

No one listened. The kids continued chatting and giggling. Akane walked over and stood, her arms crossed about her chest.

"Guys, come on. Sit down and listen to Ranma, please."

Suddenly, the kids all sat down, in their spot. Not a peep came from their mouths. Ranma's mouth flew wide open. He tried to stifle the chuckles that were trying to escape.

"Ah- okay, guys. Akane and I are going to teach together until we get a curtain installed. Then, you're going to be put with either me or her permanently."

All the boys turned to look at Akane.

Ranma rolled his eyes. "Until then, you guys had better listen to what we say, understand? Okay guys, everybody up!"

The kids all stood up. There were a total of six boys and two girls. There was one teenage boy, one preteen and four younger ones. The girls were both five years old.

"Okay," Akane said, smiling. "We're going to start off with some stretches. You always need to stretch before exercising or you could pull a muscle."

The kids all did what they were told to do. Akane walked over and began helping the ones who had trouble. Ranma marveled at the sight. She was good with kids.

Afterward, Ranma got up and began teaching a few simple moves. Time flew by and eventually lunchtime rolled around.

The kids had all packed food and Akane laid out mats in the dojo for everyone to eat at. Ranma sat down near her, though they did not speak. Akane quietly took off her gi top; a white tank top was underneath.

Ranma bit his lip, thinking of something to say. Suddenly, a little boy by the name of Reiko ran in. Ranma groaned inwardly. He was interrupted by stupid kids twice in one day.

"Miss Akane?" he said. Reiko was the teenager of the group, about sixteen years old. He had emerald green eyes and chestnut brown hair. He smiled at his teacher.

"How old are you, miss?"

"Twenty-three." Akane replied. "Why?"

"I was wondering… if you'd… like to go out sometime?"

Ranma raised an eyebrow. "Kid," he began. "She's seven years older than you."

Green eyes whipped over to Ranma. "So? My parents are five years apart- Wait… don't tell me… you're her boyfriend?!"

Akane's face blushed wildly. "No, Reiko. He isn't. Listen, I'm sorry but I'm married."

Ranma felt a pang in his chest. Why, though? Why did it hurt for her to say that?

"Married?" Reiko said, glumly in disbelief. "But… you're young… Ahh… I'm sorry."

Akane smiled at him. "Don't be. I'm really flattered, Reiko. You're a sweet boy." She reached over and kissed him softly on the cheek.

"R-really?" he said, a huge grin plastered on his face. He walked back to his group of friends, the grin remaining on his face.

Ranma laughed. "Wow, still have boys chasing you, eh, Akane?"

Akane smiled softly. "I'm used to it. Turns out university boys are worse than high school."

"Lemme guess, another hentai horde?"

Akane laughed. "You still remember the old name I used to call them?"

"Of course," he replied, matter-of-factly.

"Well, yeah, actually. They still didn't give up, even after I married Kai."

"Kai?" Ranma asked, trying to hide the pain in his voice. His blood boiled.

"Oh…" Akane said, a bit hesitantly. "He was this boy at my school who lived near my dorm room. He's was one of my friends… though he had a depression problem. He needed someone there for him, and that's why we married."

"Oh. Do you love him, though?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Kai. You said you married him 'cause of his problem… but do you love him?"

Akane bit her lip. "Yes. I love him."

Ranma licked his lips, turning his face away from her. "Ah," was all he could utter.

"And you?" Akane asked, quietly. "You told dad you were married."

"Yes, I am." Ranma said, softly. He begged she wouldn't ask whom.

"Oh… who's the girl?"

"S-Shampoo. Remember her?" Ranma said, worriedly.

Akane's eyes widened for a moment, but remained calm. She spoke through gritted teeth. "How… how could I forget?"

"Yeah," Ranma said, quietly. There was another awkward silence between them, until Akane stood up, putting her gi top back on.

"Alright kids! Time to practice some more."

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At three o'clock Ranma and Akane dismissed their class, allowing everyone to go home. As the kids left, Akane began cleaning up all the loose crumbs and garbage. Ranma helped as well.

"Messy kids," he grumbled.

Akane smiled. "Hey, _you're_ probably still messy too."

"Actually…" he said, suggestively. Akane laughed. Though, Ranma noticed a slight sadness in that laugh of hers. Somewhere, in the pit of his heart, he desperately wanted to fix the loose ends. However, he knew that it was too late. What was done… was done.

Ranma exited through the door, allowing Akane to lock up. He walked back down the street, heading home. Shampoo was probably done her shift at the Cat Café, so she was probably waiting for him at home.

The boy opened the front door to his house. It was unlocked. And he silently walked in. His wife was in the kitchen, a pout on her lips.

He walked in, not speaking to her and grabbed a bottled water.

"What took you so long?" she said, angrily.

"Long? I was exactly on time!"

"You end at 3 o clock! Right now it's four thirty!"

"Oh… well that's 'cause I was helping Akane-"

"Helping Akane?!" She said, gritting her teeth. "You ditch me and come home late… because you were helping Akane?!"

"I had to! The kids made it messy and it's not my dojo anyway. I couldn't leave it dirty."

"Whatever," Shampoo mumbled, turning her back on him.

"Shampoo…?" he said, softly. The boy walked over, wrapping his arms around her stomach. He pulled her to his chest. She struggled against him for a moment, but gave in, embracing him back.

Shampoo turned her head to kiss him, and he obliged, kissing her softly.

"Mmm," she said. "I missed you."

"Me, too." He replied, though he wasn't quite sure if that was entirely true.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

At night, Ranma just couldn't sleep. His thoughts just flooded his mind over and over again, not letting his mind shut down. So many things left unspoken… undone. It was just too much to bear.

Eventually, he gave up, jumping out of bed. He tucked in his wife, silently shutting the bedroom door behind him. The last thing he wanted was for her to wake up.

He walked outside, deciding that fresh air was all he needed. After a moment, he decided to take a little walk, over to his favorite park… the one behind Furinkan High. When he was younger, he would always come there to think. It was his favorite place. However, he hadn't returned there in years.

As he approached his old school, he marveled at the sight. Silently, he began pointing out all the things he remembered. He also began wondering what had happened to his old friends.

The boy walked further, until he could see the park in the distance. His favorite place. The Park.

The place he loved the most, however, was the bench. So many things had happened on that bench… so many memories. The engagement ring… the battle dougi…

So many memories.

As he approached further, he saw a person. There was someone sitting on the bench! He walked further and further until he saw it was...

Akane?!

"A-Akane?" he whispered, walking over to her. "What are you doing here?"

"Ranma?" Akane said, softly. She wiped her eyes. "Is that you?"

Was Akane… crying?

Ranma's eyes widened. "Akane, are you crying?"

"N-no!" she said, however, the sound of her voice definitely reeked of tears.

"Akane," Ranma said angrily. "Don't lie to me." He placed an index finger beneath her chin, forcing her to look up at him, the darkness outlining his face. His heart sunk as he saw the proof… there were tears running down her cheeks and her eyes sparkled.

Ranma growled. "What happened!?"

"No-nothing." Akane's voice shook. "K-Kai…"

"What?!" he hissed. If she were to tell him that another man had made her cry… he'd tear him apart with his bare hands.

"Nothing, Ranma." She said. "He's just… been drinking again."

"And..?"

"Well… when he drinks he gets angry and…"

"Don't fucking tell me he hit you?!"

"Sh…" Akane said, motioning him to settle down. "No… listen, he's going through some problems right now…"

"That's no excuse! Look at you, Akane! You're crying!"

"I'm fine, Ranma… sorry."

"Don't… don't apologize, Akane."

"Why… why are you here, Ranma?"

"I just… needed time to think."

"And you come here?"

"It's my favorite place."

She smiled. "Mine, too."

"R-really?"

"Yeah… it brings back memories… doesn't it?"

"Yeah…"

Deep down, Ranma worried for Akane. He wondered what her bastard husband was doing to her.

"Akane." He said, softly. Ranma took a pen out of his pocket. "Listen, I'm going to give you my phone number. If that ass does anything to you… call, okay? Please don't keep it to your self."

"No, Ranma… it's okay. I can handle it."

Ranma laughed, grabbing her hand. "Stubborn as always, eh, Akane?"

She struggled against him, but he managed to scribble his phone number on her palm.

She huffed. "I'm not calling."

He winked. "Oh, we'll see."

Akane sighed. "But… thank you."

"You're… you're welcome, Akane."

Akane checked her cell phone. "Gosh, look at the time… I'd… I'd better get home. Kai's probably asleep now."

He gritted his teeth. "Okay. Want me to walk you there?"

She smiled. "It's okay, Ranma."

"Still... Akane, it's dark out…"

"It's okay, Ranma. I made it here on my own, didn't I?"

"That was you're mistake! Okay, it's settled. Too bad, I'm walking you."

The two walked silently, not speaking a word to one another. It was strange, them taking the same path that seemed so familiar years ago. Ranma wondered if they could ever be able to talk to each other normally again.

There was a pause. "You know… you're… still the same." Akane said, smiling softly.

"Huh?" Ranma said, caught off-guard.

"Five years have passed… you haven't changed much, Ranma Saotome." She replied, looking at him with a huge grin.

"Well… neither have you, Akane."

"You're still the same careless, annoying, perverted, egotistical jerk…"

"And you're still the same flat-chested tomboy!" He joked.

She laughed. "Alright, alright. Whatever you say,"

Even if they were the same, the two had still matured. It was funny how the old comments that would cause tears now didn't phase either of them.

Although it seemed like merely seconds, a half hour had passed by and Ranma and Akane had reached Akane's house. It was a fairly medium-sized house, much like the Tendo residence with deep brown bricks and a large back yard.

"Thank you, Ranma." Akane said, standing at the porch.

"No… no problem, 'Kane."

She gave him one last smile as she turned her back and exited, walking into the house. He watched as the door slammed behind her.

He didn't know why, but he felt his spirits were a little bit lifted. As if his problems had been lifted off his shoulders. He felt much better, even without the bench.


	3. Chapter 3

**What About Us?**

**Chapter Three**

As soon as Ranma returned to his house, all he could do was think. He didn't know why, but now things confused him more then ever. This new Akane… much like the previous… but still filled with secrets. The one that he wondered about most was… her new husband.

Who was he and how did she meet him? More importantly… what was he doing to her to make her cry so badly at night?

It was funny how in the past he'd hurt her countless times, taking her tears for granted. And he knew deep down that this was not his territory. She was not his wife and therefore it was none of his business. She didn't even consider him as a friend.

Still, he couldn't help it.

Ranma barely got any sleep for the rest of the night, spending most of his time thinking. When he finally drifted off to sleep, he felt a hand touch his face, waking him.

"Ranma…?" a soft voice cooed. He recognized it immediately.

"Shampoo," He moaned, turning his back. Why was she waking him up so early?

"Get up, you'll be late to school." She said, softly. "It's 3:00 in the afternoon."

"3:00?!" He said, jumping out of bed. How the hell did he sleep in that late?!

"Yes," she examined her nails eyeing him suspiciously. "I woke up during the night and realized you weren't there. Where did you go…?"

Ranma froze, but being the martial artist he was, tried not to show it. "Yeah, uhm… I just went for a walk, to clear my head." It wasn't the whole truth, but it wasn't a lie either.

"Really?" Shampoo's eyes shone.

"Really." He repeated, his eyes narrowed.

Shampoo decided to drop it and walked away, her hips swaying.

The purple-haired girl bit her lip. She had a bad feeling about all this. She'd almost lost her husband to Akane Tendo once… damn it, she would not do it again!

She sighed as she saw Ranma dash out the door, book bag in hand. He gave her a slight nod as he left, and she returned a small smile to him.

She loved him. With all her heart. The last thing she' d want would be to lose him.

**XxXxXxXXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx**

Ranma boarded off the bus after his classes. It was now about 8:00 and he was dog-gone tired. School had been a killer, and he was glad to be finally going home.

Suddenly, his cell phone rang. He jumped, feeling the unexpected vibrate of the ringer.

Probably Shampoo… he muttered, hoping she wasn't calling to ask why he was two minutes late… _again_.

"Yeah?" Ranma answered, not bothering to look at the number.

"Ra-Ranma…?" said a familiar voice. It wasn't Shampoo's, no… and it sounded awful. As if the person were crying. Wait…

"Akane?!" Ranma hissed quietly into the phone. "What's wrong?!"

"I… I'm sorry for calling! I just didn't know what to do… I… I'm sorry, I'll hang up… goodbye."

"NO!" Ranma shouted into the telephone, with a bit too much force at first. He toned his voice down. "No," he repeated a bit more softly. "Akane, if you dare hang up, I swear I am coming there and-"

She laughed a slow, shaky laugh. He couldn't help but smile, despite his worry. "Thank you, Ranma… can we… meet at the park?"

"I'll be right there,"

"It's okay if you're busy or something…"

"I said I'll be right there."

"O-okay…. Thank you."

Ranma closed his cell phone and began walking quickly. He knew that it probably wasn't any of his business, but Akane was still someone he used to know and hopefully somewhat of a friend. Shampoo was going to be mad, however. But why? He was helping someone in need. That had nothing to do with the past. Nothing at all!

After ten minutes, he arrived at the park, panting from all the running he'd done. The taxi driver took too long in traffic, so Ranma had asked for him to just let him off a block away. He glanced ahead and saw Akane, sitting at the bench, looking off into the distance, spacing out. She was clad in jean cut-off's and a simple yellow t-shirt. Her hair was tousled and her mascara seemed to remain running down her cheeks, despite her obvious attempts to wipe the excess makeup off.

"Akane," Ranma said, breathlessly, taking a seat beside her.

"R-Ranma… you… came." She said, in disbelief.

"Of course I came," he said, as if that was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard.

"I… thank you." She said quietly, a small smile on her face.

"N-no problem,"

Damn. She still had that same smile. That same captivating, bring-you-to-your-knees smile. Even after all these years.

"I'm sorry for calling you out like this… it was just a spur of the moment. I was upset and-"

"Don't worry about it, 'Kane… it's nothing. Are you okay?"

She let out a shaky breath. "Yes, I'm fine. Just a little too much alcohol today. I think he's calmed down though."

"Akane, listen to me." He said, through gritted teeth. "You can't stay with this guy."

"Ranma… he wasn't always like this… he's going through some-"

"He's not good for you!"

Akane sat there, stunned for a moment. "Who are you to say… what's good for me?"

Ranma opened his mouth, but no words came out. He then closed it.

"I'm sorry." Akane said quickly. "I shouldn't have lashed out at you like that… I appreciate your coming."

"No… that's okay. Do you want to walk?"

"Sure."

Ranma got up off the bench, a little too quickly, and offered Akane a hand. She looked up at his blue eyes, smiling a little as she took the hand. It was warm, strong… But… wrong. She quickly brushed it off, releasing his grip as she got up off the bench. She blushed slightly, but hid it skillfully, not wanting him to catch her. Akane quickly brushed off the bottom of her shorts, walking onto the side walk.

Ranma felt it too. The electricity that had seemed to have run through his fingers once she touched his. He felt a little saddened by her quick release… did she still… hate him?

They walked silently for a few moments, neither really quite sure what to say. It was awkward how things had changed so much.

Ranma looked down the street, trying to think of something to say. That's when he saw a couple. He recognized the couple, they both went to his college. The girl, a tall, pretty brunette was named Kimiko. The boy was a transfer student from Canada, a blue eyed and honey-blonde male by the name of Ryo. They looked so happy together, walking hand-in-hand. Ranma smiled at the couple, catching Ryo's eye when he noticed…

A ring on Kimiko's finger.

Since when had they gotten engaged? He remembered that in the past Ryo didn't even notice Kimiko. She'd always seemed to write him love notes and he'd ignore them, never taking a second glance. How did they get together?

Then again, it had been five years… things changed. And they looked inseperatable. He sighed, then started a conversation with Akane about the first thing that came to his mind.

"So… Akane," Ranma said, breaking the silence. "You study in University..?"

"Well, I took English, and I currently teach English at Fujioka High School down in south Nerima."

"Nice job, Akane… you always liked English."

"I remember how I used to tutor you for hours, and you'd never get it."

Ranma laughed lightly. "And how you'd still never give up on me."

"Well, judging on how you're in mechanical engineering… I'm glad I didn't."

"Ha-ha, how'd you know?"

"Nabiki told me," she said, smiling.

"Of course!" he laughed. "Still the gossip, isn't she?"

Akane laughed back. "Hey! How dare you… eh, it's true."

He smiled at Akane's laugh, which seemed much more honest this time.

Ranma and Akane talked for a little while, walking around familiar parts of town. They asked one another questions, though very subtle ones. It was strange how comfortable they were with one another, though they stayed away from two topics. One… the whole P-Chan ordeal. Two… their past engagement.

Soon, it became late and although Ranma didn't want to break off the conversation, he knew that Shampoo would be furious once he got home.

Suddenly, he got an idea. However, he hesitated.

"Akane…" he said.

"Yeah, Ranma?" she replied.

"Tomorrow, after school… d-do you wanna… go to lunch with me? As friends, I mean."

Akane froze. "Ranma… I'm sorry. I can't."

Ranma swallowed, feeling slightly rejected. "Oh… I understand, okay… other plans?"

Akane didn't catch his gaze. "Something… like that."

"Ah," he bit his lip. "Alright. Well I have to go…"

"Okay…" She replied, feeling the hurt tone in his voice.

Ranma nodded slightly, and began walking away. Akane watched and, before she could stop herself, she took a step forward and called out his name.

"Ranma!" she said, loudly.

"Huh?" he replied, turning around.

"I'll meet you at two o'clock."

"Huh…?" he said again, his eyebrow cocked in confusion.

"Tomorrow… after school."

"O-O-Oh!" He said, a grin on his face. "Okay! Changed your mind, huh Akane?"

Akane rolled her eyes, jokingly. "Shut up before your ego swells to the size of Tokyo!"

He winked at her, walking away. "See ya, tomboy."

Akane waved at him, walking in the opposite direction, a smile never leaving her face.

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Ranma came home at 9 o'clock sharp. He opened the door slowly, making sure it didn't make a sound. He knew Shampoo was going to be furious. The young man bit his lip, trying to think of an explanation.

_I had to stay after school, sorry honey._

_I had car troubles._

_I was starving and decided to get a bit to eat with my friends._

… none were good. However, the last thing he could possibly say was he was with Akane. Even if it was only as friends.

Ranma creaked into his bedroom slowly, looking around to see if his wife was anywhere in sight. He looked around, realizing she was no where to be seen. The boy relaxed but rolled his eyes. He was a MAN dammit! He wasn't afraid! She had no right to get angry because he was helping a FRIEND!

Ranma walked out of the bedroom confidently, approaching the kitchen. He looked around once again, not finding his wife… but a note instead.

In pink ink, it stated:

Ranma, since you were late I decided to go to the Cat Café to get a bite to eat with friends.

- Shampoo

He bit his lip gently. She was angry. Shampoo always signed her letters off with "I love you" or something along those lines.

The boy sighed. The last thing he wanted to do was upset her. She was his wife and he felt a little bad, even if it wasn't his fault.

For the next half hour, Ranma decided to do the laundry, a chore both he and Shampoo hated to do. He also left her an ice cream sundae, which he made especially himself. He knew the girl liked ice cream, so he hoped she wouldn't be too mad when she saw him.

Ranma sat down, watching some random movie on television when he heard the door open at midnight. He looked up, seeing Shampoo's purple eyes meet his own.

"Ranma," she said, softly. She walked into the room, placing her sweater onto a chair. Ranma stood up, grabbing the sundae and walking slowly over to her.

"I made you this… sorry I was late."

Shampoo continued walking, looking from the sundae over to Ranma and again. "Ranma… you made this for me?"

"Yeah… I thought it'd make you happy."

The young girl's eyes softened a bit. "Where were you?"

"… I was just helping a friend out with something…" it wasn't a total lie.

"Mmm. Don't be late again, okay?"

"I won't." He said, letting out a breath. Did this mean he was off the hook?

Shampoo approached him, laying a cheek on his chest. "I missed you…"

He embraced her back, rubbing her back. "I missed you too, baby," he mumbled against her hair.

The purple-haired Amazon stood on her tip-toes, leaning in for a kiss. He kissed her quickly on the lips and grabbed the ice cream, handing it to her.

"Here," he said, spoon feeding her a bite. She ate it happily and grabbed Ranma's hand.

"Ranma," she said, sighing and hugging him. "Remember what I said about wanting a baby?"

The boy froze. "Uhh…. Yea?"

"Well…" she said, kissing him again. "I really, really want one…"

"O-Okay," he said, kissing her back, a little halfheartedly.

She giggled and shifted closer to him. Ranma wrapped his arms around her softly and glanced at the time.

"Gosh, look, it's late. I have to wake up really early tomorrow."

"But… I want to spend more time with you," she pouted, reaching for his lips yet again.

"Listen, I promise we'll spend lots of time together tomorrow. I'll even take you out to dinner tomorrow night."

"Okay!" she giggled, happily. "I'll get my hair done!"

He smiled and kissed her quickly. "Okay, goodnight, hun."

Shampoo walked over to the sofa and sat down, clicking the T.V. on. "Goodnight, sweetie."

Ranma walked over to the doorway and was about to enter his bedroom when he heard his wife call out his name.

"Ranma…" she said, softly.

"Yeah?" he replied, turning around.

"I love you,"

"I… I love you too, Shampoo."

The young girl smiled a bright smile and returned to her program.

Ranma bit his lip, entering his bedroom. Why did he have to second think that? He loved Shampoo. She was his _wife_. They were married! Him and Akane were _just_ friends.

… even if he did have feelings for her in the past.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: So sorry for the late chapter! I've been very, very busy. I know it's a bit short, but I still hope you all like it and it was worth the wait!

What About Us?

Chapter Four

Ranma awoke at 7 am, showered and dressed for school. He threw on a simple white t-shirt and jeans; which was his normal school wear. He got a text message from Akane, saying she'd meet him outside the college at 2:00 sharp. He smiled. He was really looking forward to this "get-together" they were going to have. He was beginning to see a little light at the end of the tunnel for their friendship. He was glad.

Ranma walked out the door, breathing in a deep lungful of the crisp spring air. The boy quietly shut the door behind him, not wanting to wake his wife, and continued walking over to the bus stop.

He waited quietly, thinking about what the day held in store. He had lunch with Akane at two and dinner with Shampoo at six.

The bus arrived, and he boarded it, walking up the stairs and dropping some change into the slot. Ranma immediately plopped himself into the first available seat, looking out the window at the scenery.

As time flew by, he'd finally arrived at school. After hours of grueling classes and lectures, 2:00 rolled around. Ranma walked outside and was surprised to see Akane standing there, clutching her purse, waiting for him. She had her short hair pulled back in a small ponytail and wore a short-sleeved dress with long boots. As he walked closer, he noticed she had a bit of glitter on her eyes. She looked lovely.

"Hey 'Kane." He smiled and she smiled back.

"Hey, Ranma. Ready to go?"

"You bet, where to?"

"How about that new little café two streets over? I heard it's got great food."

"Sure thing! Let's go."

The two walked, chatting a little as they made their way to The Sakura, a little Japanese place that sold coffee, rice cakes and such. When they neared the street where it lay, Ranma noticed a girl from afar. A… certain girl. One with purple hair.

"Shit!" the boy exclaimed, grabbing Akane's hand and dragging her behind a tree.

"H-hey!" Akane shouted. "What do you think your doing?!"

"Shh… please be quiet Akane. Just for a second."

"What's going on?"

"Shh…" he whispered, putting a finger to his lips.

Akane pursed her lips and waited quietly.

Ranma watched as his wife, Shampoo, got into a taxi and after a few moments began to drive away. He exhaled and waited until the automobile was out of sight before he came out from behind the tree.

"Come on, Akane." The young man said, grabbing her hand. "Let's go."

Akane raised an eyebrow but decided to ask him about what had just happened once they sat down. It would be a better opportunity.

The two walked a little further and entered the small shop, decorated with cherry blossom designs and the colours red, pink and white. They also noticed the place was rather empty, which was unusual for this time of day. It didn't matter, however, the silence was much better, anyhow.

Ranma and Akane decided to sit on a small, two-chaired table in the middle of the café. He also made sure to not be near a window, in case the issue from before was to repeat itself…

Before Akane had a chance to talk, the waitress had arrived and the two ordered cups of tea, Sakura mochi with ice cream and a set of rice cakes. After the waitress left out of sight, Akane immediately spoke.

"So," Akane said. "What was that all about?"

"Hmm?" he replied, hoping he wouldn't have to explain.

"Don't "hmm" me. Why did you hide? Who'd you see?"

Ranma exhaled and looked at Akane. Her sparkled eyes shimmered in the light.

"You see… well, I saw Shampoo."

"W-wait… you hid from your wife? Why?"

"Hell-o… what would she think if she saw me with you?"

Ranma watched as a pained expression washed across Akane's face. She turned away from him. "Oh…" was all she uttered.

A silence flooded through the room.

Akane broke it. "Can't she accept that we only want to be friends?"

"I… I don't know. I mean I've talked about you, but I'm not sure if she knows that we're good friends."

"I'm sure she'd be okay with it. I mean, you're married and I am… so what's the big deal?"

Ranma smiled a little. "Agreed. Maybe if I explained it to her more, she'd understand."

The waitress arrived again, handing the two their food. Once the plate of rice cakes was laid out in front of her, memories flooded back and Akane giggled.

"Hmm?" Ranma said, his mouth filled with food. "What's so funny?"

"N-nothing." She replied. "Just something I remembered from earlier." She kept a secret smile on her lips as she remembered the sakura rice cake episode from a while back.

The boy rolled his eyes. "Girls," he said, grabbing some of the ice cream.

The two friends enjoyed their meal, chatting and talking about the old people in their lives.

"What?! U-Chan's pregnant?!"

Ranma grinned. "Boy, I think she said."

"Woooow." Akane smiled. "Glad to hear they're all doing fine. I haven't seen her since her wedding, are you two still close?"

"Well, not like before, but still friends."

"That's nice."

Ranma tried to avoid the subject of Ryoga, knowing it would be bad news. Though, Akane brought up someone else… someone he'd nearly forgotten about.

"Oh," Akane bit her lip. "Have you seen Mousse lately?"

Mousse. Wow, he hadn't seen him since two weeks before his wedding to Shampoo. "No, I haven't. Have you?"

"Well, here and there. He's been… really depressed. Plus, I think he's unemployed, too. I also think he's been living at Ukyo and Konatsu's for a while."

Ranma's eyes widened and felt a pang of guilt. Was this what had really happened to Mousse? Was it his fault?

Ranma sipped some of his tea, taking a big gulp and then replied. "Oh, I um… I didn't know that."

The subject was dropped.

An hour went by and they ate and chatted lightly. Ranma made sure not to eat very much so he could still enjoy his dinner with Shampoo later. After they'd finished, Akane said she had to go into town to do some errands and Ranma had to return back home anyway. He walked her to the door, and they bid their farewells.

Walking in the opposite direction, Ranma waited for the city bus to come around like it always did at 3:30 PM.

Eventually, the bus did come though a bit late. Ranma hopped on and arrived at his house in fifteen minutes.

When he got home, he noticed Shampoo wasn't there. He recalled she did mention she would be getting her hair done that day so Ranma decided to spruce up a bit for her too.

The boy shaved and showered, then sprayed himself with some aftershave; it was her favorite scent. He dressed sharply, in a nice red dress shirt and tie, fumbling a bit with the tying but mastering it after a few minutes. He slipped on some nice white dress pants and white dress shoes, too.

Ranma observed himself in the mirror once more before stepping out the door and locking it behind him. He glanced at his watch, it was 5:30. That gave him a half hour before he was supposed to meet his wife.

As the young man walked down the street, he noticed a nice flower store and decided to step in. Why not buy her flowers, too? He looked around for a few minutes before he found a large bouquet of red roses, the his wife's absolute favorite type of flower. Ranma smiled as the shopkeeper wrapped them for him, he hoped she'd like them.

When Ranma arrived at the restaurant, bouquet in hand, he waited for five minutes before he saw Shampoo emerge from the taxi. She did get her hair done, it was curled beautify, and she was wearing a stunning red dress that matched the flowers Ranma bought her. She also wore shimmering silver high heels.

"Hey handsome," she said with a smile as she walked toward him. She gasped when she saw the flowers. "Those for me?"

"Who else?" he winked, handing them to her. She giggled brightly and hugged them to her chest. Her eyes shone when she looked at him. "Thank you, Ranma…"

The boy had to pause for a few minutes, her stare mesmerizing. For a pure moment, she looked at him with such unconditional love… he had to catch his breath.

"No… no problem. So, shall we?" he said, extending his arm. She giggled again, taking it.

The two entered the fancy restaurant. It was decorated in white lace and had cascades of silk and flowers everywhere. True, it would be expensive, but it was worth it.

As the couple sat down, the waiter immediately came over with a bottle of wine and two glasses. Shampoo sipped her wine daintily and Ranma copied her, trying to be as polite as possible.

"This is a beautiful restaurant, honey…" she said, smiling. The candlelight highlighted the light blue tints in her purple hair.

"It is, that's why I picked it." He smiled back, nibbling on a piece of bread from the basket.

The waiter returned and the two ordered some meat buns and shrimp shumai, the first being Ranma's favorite and the second being Shampoo's.

"So, how was school?" Shampoo said, using the second fork on the right to eat her meal. Ranma mimicked her.

"Mmmm, okay. Boring, of course. How was your day?"

"Same, I miss you when you're at school."

"Yeah, but I'm almost done. Just two more years and I'll have my degree, then I can bring in even more money for us."

"Especially if we're going to have a baby!" she giggled, sipping her wine happily.

"Yeah, I guess."

They ate quietly for a moment, and Shampoo began to speak, but hesitated. "Ranma… um…"

"Yeah?"

"Nothing… forget it."

"No, tell me." He said, looking her into the eyes.

"Promise you won't get angry?"

"I promise."

"Well," she smiled softly. "You know, I was a bit jealous when you began talking to Akane again… worried you'd run off with her again, or something."

"Aw, Shampoo. Listen, I told you, me and her are just friends! Like when we went out for lunch today, we just talked normally. About the dojo and what no-"

"Wait." She said, silencing him. "You saw her today?" her smile turned into a frown.

Ranma swallowed. "Uh, yeah… why?"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It was nothing… all we did was go out to eat and talk."

"… you went out with another girl, took her on a date, and didn't tell me!?"

"A date?! I TOLD you, it was just between friends! I think you're overreacting." He rolled his eyes.

"OVERREACTING?!" she screamed, standing up in her seat. Everyone in the restaurant turned to look at them. Ranma motioned her to sit down but she didn't listen. "Overreacting that you went out with another girl behind you're wife's back?!"

"Shh!" he whispered, touching her arm, motioning her to sit down. She shot him a deadly glare and turned her back, walking out the restaurant.

"Shampoo!" he shouted, throwing some money down on the table and chasing after her.

"No! I'm not doing this anymore!" she shouted back, not turning around. She pushed the glass double doors open and walked outside.

"Listen to me!" he called after her, grabbing her arm and spinning her around.

"What's there to listen to?" she hissed, moisture adorning her eyes. Ranma gasped softly. She was crying?

"Shampoo," he mumbled softly, caressing her arm. "Please, don't think that. We're just friends."

A pause filled the atmosphere.

After a moment, the girl finally spoke. "I don't want you to see her anymore," she said, softly.

"W-what?" Ranma replied startled.

"If you love me, you will stop seeing that Tendo girl, once and for all."


End file.
